Slicing machine



March 19, 1935. H, n-z 5R 1,995,096

ISLICING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1931- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVE/V TOR I IE2727 E72 2, 52". 9 er.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 19, 1935 1 995,096,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLICING MACHINE Henry Fritz, Sr., Sheboygan,Wis., assignor of one-half to Adam Hardt, Chicago, Ill.

Application July 27, 1931, Serial No. 553,282

21 Claims. (Cl. 146-153) This invention relates to improvements in slic-Figure 2 is a detail perspective view illustrating machines, and refersmore particularly to the ing the manner of mounting the blades in sets;mounting of the blades or knives in bread slicing Figure 3-is a crosssectional view taken through machines. Fig. 1 on the plane of the line3-3;

In slicing machines of the class to which this Figure 4 is a transversesectional view taken 5 invention belongs the loaves are conveyed pastthrough Fig. 3 on the plane of the line 4-4;

sets of moving blades or knives spaced apart a Figure 5 is an enlargeddetail sectional view distance equal to the thickness of the desiredtaken through Fig. 3 on the plane of the line 5-5 slice. Inmany bakeriesa single slicing machine Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view taken takescare of the entire sliced loaf output, and through Fig. 3 on the planeof the line 66; and 10 hence any break-down in the machine delays theFigure 7 is a detail perspective view illustratentire output. The knivesor blades are most ing the manner of detachably mounting theinsusceptible to breakage, and in machines heretodividual blades. foreemployed, the mounting of the knives or Referring now more particularlyto the accomblades has been such that even the replacement panyingdrawings, in which like numerals indi- 15 of a single broken bladenecessitated a considercate like parts throughout the several views, theable delay. numeral 5 represents a conveyer table along It is,therefore, an object of this invention to which loaves of bread B areconveyed in any provide a novel and improved manner of mountsuitablemanner, guid being p vid ho 2:) ing the blades of a slicing machinewhereby any the loaves on the conveyer table. The loaves single blademay be detached and. replaced Withare conveyed toward an inclinedportion 6 in the out necessitating a delay of more than a few table nearthe bottom of which is the slicing minutes. mechanism indicatedgenerally by the numeral It is also desirable to provide means foradapt- '7. The conveyer table may be supported in any ingasingle machineto different slice thicknesses, suitable manner, not shown, and theslicing 25 and heretofore changing of the slice thickness mechanism ispreferably supported from side has required practically dismantling theentire rails 8 which may form p Of the supporting knife mountingstructure. It is, therefore, anstructure of the conveyer. Extendingacross the other object of this invention to provide means bottom of theside rails 8 is a transverse support whereby the knives are readilyremovable and 9 p Which the slicing c a s is di e0t1y30 insertable insets so that any one set of blades mounted. or knives may be quicklywithdrawn and another The slicing mechanism comprises two transsetinserted. versely adjacent parallel sets of knives or blades Afurtherobject of this invention is to generally 10 and 11 Wh ch are mounte ppimprove the design and construction of the blade tical reciprocation byguide rods 12 and 12' re- 35 mounting structure of slicing machines. spetiv ly, having eir lower ends secured to With the above and otherobjects in view which the transverse support 9 and their upper ends willappear as the description proceeds, my inreceived in openings formed ina top cross piece vention resides in the novel construction, com- 13,the outer ends of the cross piec 13 being bination and arrangement ofparts substantially attached to vertical side supports 14 extended 40 ashereinafter described and more particularly upwardly from the side rails8. defined by the appended claims, it being under- Slidably mounted onthe sets of guide'rods 12 stood that such changes in the preciseembodiand 12' are substantially U shaped frames 15 ment of thehereindisclosed invention may be comp s O B tra vers ils 16 and siderails made as come within the scope of the claims. 17. These U shapedframes are preferably cast In the accompanying drawings, is illustratedand have bored lugs 18 and 19 extended from one complete example of thephysical embodithe top and bottom respectively, of their side ment ofthis invention constructed according to rails 17 to slidably receivetherods 12 and 12. the best mode so far devised for the practical Oppositevertical reciprocation is imparted to application of the principlesthereof, and in the frames 15 by rocker arms 20 connected which: throughpitmans 21 with the upper ends of the Figure 1 is a transverse sectionthrough a slicames as at 2 The rocker arms 20 are fixed ing machineembodying this invention and illust0 the Portions of a Cross shaft 23 ad at a trating the manner in which the loaves are conmedial point theshaft has secured thereto, a

ducted past the knives; lever 24' with which an actuating member 25 isconnected to oscillate the shaft 23 back and forth.

The inner edge portion of the side and bottom rails of the U shapedframes 15 are provided with continuous grooves 26 for the reception ofplates 27. These plates are formed of stiff sheet metal and arerectangular in shape with a rectangular opening 28 of such size as toenable the loaves of bread B to pass therethrough. The top and bottomrails 29 and 30, respectively, of the plates are provided with means forreadily detachably mounting sets of knives or blades 31. As seen in Fig.3, the knives or blades carried by one plate are staggered with respectto the knives of the other, and the distance between the adjacent kniveson each plate is equal to twice the thickness of the desired slice sothat the distance between the adjacent knives, when assembled in themachine equals the slice thickness. The knives of both sets occupy thesame transverse plane so that all of the knives engage the loaf at thesame time with one set moving upwardly and the other downwardly. Hencethere is no tendency for the loaf to turn or twist.

The specific manner in which the individual knives are attached to theircarrying plates is best seen in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. It is observed thatthe bottom rails 30 of the knife carrying plates are provided withattaching blocks 32, the blocks of the two plates facing each other. Theouter end portions of the blocks 32 are slotted to receive the lowerends of the blades 31, and bayonet slots 33 extending transverselyacross the blocks 32 are adapted to receive pins 34 fixed to the lowerends of the blades. The manner of attaching and removing the lower bladeends from the blocks 32 is obvious.

The upper ends of the knives are attached to the top rails 29 of theplates in a somewhat similar manner. Fixed to the top rails 29 andextending across the entire length thereof are angle plates 35. Theseplates form part of the means for attaching the upper ends of the bladesand also stiffen the top rails 29.

The top rails 29 and the vertical flanges of the angle plates 35 areprovided with rectangular openings 36 in line with each knife or blade,and slidably mounted in these apertures are attaching blocks 37. grooves38 in their opposite sides to receive the side edges 39 of therectangular openings formed in the angle plate and thus slidably mountthe blocks 37.

Like the attaching blocks 32 at the lower ends of the knives, the blocks37 are slotted as at 40 for the reception of the upper end portions ofthe blades and have transverse bayonet slots 41 to receive theiradjacent cross pins 34.

The blocks 37 are yieldably urged in an upward direction to maintain theblades 31 under tension, by expansive springs 42 coiled about screws 43and confined between the heads of the screws and the horizontal flangesof the angle plates 35 through openings in which the screws extend to bethreaded into tail pieces 44 on the blocks 3'7.

Each individual blade is thus readily detachably mounted from itscarrying plate 30 and each plate as a whole is readily detachablymounted in its U shaped frame as best shown in Fig. 2. As hereinbeforestated, the side edge portions and the bottom edge portions of theplates are received in grooves 26 formed in the side and bottom railsrespectively of the U shaped frames and to insert a plate carrying a setof knives, it

The attaching blocks 37 have is only necessary to slide the samevertically into its frame. Screws 45 threaded in suitable openings inthe frames and passing through openings in the plates are provided tohold the plates assembled with the-frames. Hence to remove a plate andthe knives carried thereby, it is only necessary to remove the screws 45and lift the plate out of the frame, removal of the plates beingfacilitated by a handle 46 formed on the upper end of each plate. Thismounting for the plates makes it possible to quickly adapt the machineto a different slice thickness, for plates may be kept on hand with theknives set at various distances apart and it is thus merely a questionof inserting the proper set of plates.

Obviously, the plates must be provided in pairs inasmuch as the knivesof one are staggered with respect to the other, and as the cutting edgesof both sets of knives must face in the same direction.

At the point where the knives pass through the conveyer table, the tablemay be provided with a series of openings to accommodate the knives, buta more preferable construction is to provide a comb member 4'7 whichforms a continuation of the conveyer table and provides a support forthe loaves between the knives.

From the foregoing description taken in con-.

nection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent toone skilled in the art to which an invention of the character describedappertains, that this invention affords a novel manner of mounting theknives of a slicing machine whereby the replacement of individual knivesmay be quickly effected, and whereby different sets of plates toaccommodate different slice thicknesses may be quickly inserted andremoved.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a bread slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocation comprising, 'spaced reciprocable guides, aframe including spaced top and bottom members and side rails having alongitudinal sliding engagement with the spaced reciprocable guides, andmeans for connecting the opposite ends of the blades with the spaced topand bottom members of said frame.

2. In a bread slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocation comprising, a reciprocable frame open at itstop, a second frame including spaced top and bottom members, and sidemembers, means slidably connecting the side members of the second framewith the first frame to enable the sliding of the second frame into andout of engagement with the first frame through the open top of the firstframe, and means for connecting the opposite ends of the blades with thetopand bottom members of the second frame.

3. In a bread slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocation comprising, a substantially U shaped frame,means reciprocably mounting said frame, a second frame including spacedtop and bottom members connected by side members, means providing asliding connection between the side members of the frames whereby thesecond frame is slidable into and out of engagement with the first framethrough the open top of the first frame, and means for connecting theopposite ends of the blades with the top and bottom members of thesecond frame.

4. In a bread slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocation comprising, a substantially U shaped frame,means reciprocably mounting said frame, a second frame including spacedtoo and bottom members connected by side members, means providing asliding connection between the side members of the frames whereby thesecond frame is slidable into and out of engagement with the first framethrough the open top of the first frame, and means readily detachablyconnecting the opposite ends of the blades with the top and bottommembers of the second frame.

5. In a bread slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocation comprising, a substantially U shaped frame,means reciprocably mounting said frame, a second frame including spacedtop and bottom members connected by side members, means providing asliding connection between the side members of the frames whereby thesecond frame is slidable into and out of' engagement with the firstframe through the open top of the first frame, and readily detachablemeans individually connecting the opposite ends of each blade with thetop and bottom members of the second frame.

6. In a slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocation, comprising, a reciprocable carrier, a flatplate having its medial portion cut away to provide spaced top andbottom members connected by side members, means connecting the fiatplate with the carrier, and means connecting the opposite ends of theblades with the top and bottom members of the fiat plate comprising, adetachable fixed connection between one of said plate members and oneend of the blades, blocks slidably moimted from the other of said platemembers, a detachable connection between the blocks and the oppositeends of the blades, and means for yieldably urging the blocks in adirection to impose tension on the blades.

7. In a bread slicing machine, a plurality of blades, means mounting theblades for reciprocationcomprising, a substantially U shaped framehavingspaced sides connected by a bottom member, the inner edges of the framesides and bottom members having a continuous groove, means reciprocablymounting said frame, a plate having its side edges received in thegrooves of the side members of the frame and its bottom edge received inthe groove in the bottom member of the frame, said plate being slidablethrough the open top of the U shaped frame into and out of operativeengagement therewith, means readily detachably securingthe plate in itsoperative engagement with the frame, and means mounting the blades fromthe plate whereby the blades are removable from the frame as a unit.

8. In a slicing machine, a plurality of cutting blades, means mountingthe blades for reciprocation comprising, spaced fixed supports, asubstantially U shaped frame disposed between said supports and slidablymounted therefrom, a flat rectangular frame slidably engaged with the Ushaped frame and removable therefrom through the open top of the Ushaped frame, means to secure said rectangular frame in the U shapedframe, means connecting the opposite ends of the blades with the upperand lower members of the rectangular frame, and means connected with theU shaped frame to reciprocate the same.

9. In a slicing machine, a plurality of cutting blades, means mountingthe blades for reciprocation comprising vertical fixed supports spacedfrom each other, a slotted member slidably mounted on each verticalsupport, means connecting said slidaby mounted members, means connectedwith one of said slidably mounted slotted members to reciprocate thesame vertically, a substantially fiat rectangular frame having its sideedges engaged in the slots of the members slidable on the spacedsupports, and means to connect the opposite ends of the blades with theupper and lower members of the flat rectangular frame.

10. In a slicing machine, a. pair of spaced vertical fixed supports,grooved rails slidably mounted on each of said fixed supports with thegrooves thereof in a common plane facing each other, means to connectsaid grooved rails at their bottoms to form a U shaped rigid frame,means connected with said rigid frame to reciprocate the same on thespaced fixed supports, a flat apertured plate slidably engaged in-thegrooves of the rails, said flat plate being readily detachable from therigid U shaped frame by withdrawing the same upwardly through its opentop, means to secure said fiat apertured plate in the U shaped framewhereby the same'reciprocates with the U shaped frame, and meanstodetachably mount a plurality of blades on said fiat plate to extendvertically across the aperture in said plate.

11. In a slicing machine, two sets of reciprocable cutting blades, meansto mount the blades with those of one set alternately positioned betweenthose of the other set and with substantially equal spaces between theblades and all of their cutting edges in substantially a common plane,comprising a reciprocable frame for each set of blades, saidreciprocable frames each including connected side members havingguideways facing each other, a rectangular blade carrying frame slidablyengaged in the guideways of each reciprocable frame, means to readilydetachably hold each of the rectangular frames in its respectivereciprocable frame, blade supports projected from the upper and lowercross bars of the rectangular frames, said blade supports of bothrectangular frames having their end portions in substantially a commonplane, so that the blades attached thereto have their cutting edges insubstantially a common plane, and means connected with the reciprocableframes to simultaneously and oppositely reciprocate the sets of blades.

12. In a slicing machine, two sets of reciprocable cutting blades, meansto mount the' blades with those of one set alternately positionedbetween those of the other set and with substantially equal spacesbetween the blades and all of their cutting edges facing one way,comprising a reciprocable frame for each set of blades, saidreciprocable frames each including connected side members havingguideways facing each other, an apertured flat metal plate slidablyengaged in the guideways of each reciprocable frame, means to readilydetachably hold-the apertured flat metal plates in their respectivereciprocable frames, said means enabling ready detachment of the platesfrom their frames, blade supports projected from the upper and lowercross pieces of the apertured plates with the blade supports of oneplate facing those on the other and interposed alternately between thoseof the other, means to readily detachably connect the blades of one setto the supports of one plate and the blades of the other set to thesupports of the other plate, and means connected with the reciprocableframes to simultaneously and oppositely reciprocate the sets of blades.

13. In a bread slicing machine, two opposed reciprocable guides, aplurality of spaced cutting blades, means to mount the cutting bladesfrom the two opposed reciprocable guides for ready detachment from theguides as a unit comprising, a flat relatively thin metal plate havingits medial portion cut away to afford a substantially rectangularopening and providing upper and lower cross pieces connected by sidemembers, the side members being readily detachably connectible with thereciprocable guides, blade supports carried by the upper and lowermembers, and means to readily detachably connect the ends of the bladesto said supports.

14. In a bread slicing machine, a reciprocable frame having an open top,a plurality of cutting blades, means to mount the cutting blades fromthe reciprocable frame so as to be readily detachable therefrom bywithdrawal through the open top of the frame as a unit, said meanscomprising an apertured fiat metal plate, the aperture in said flatmetal plate providing horizontally spaced members, fixed blade supportsprojecting from the face of one of said horizontally spaced members,movable blade supports projected from the face of the other horizontallyspaced member, means to connect the ends of the blades with said bladesupports, and yieldable means to urge the movable blade supports in adirection maintaining the blades taut.

15. In a bread slicing machine, a pair of spaced reciprocable units,means to simultaneously and oppositely reciprocate said units, a set ofcutting blades for each reciprocable unit, and means to mount the setsof cutting blades one from each reciprocable unit so as to enable readyremoval of the sets of cutting blades from the units without dismantlingany portion of the reciprocable units whereby the substitution of oneset of cutting blades for another is readily accomplished, said meanscomprising flat plate members apertured to afford horizontal spacedsupporting rails, blade supports carried by said horizontally spacedsupporting rails of each plate member, the blade supports of one platemember being disposed alternately between the blade supports of theother, and means to readily detachably connect the individual bladeswith the blade supports with all of the blades having, their cuttingedges facing one way.

16. In a slicing machine, a plurality of cutting blades, means mountingthe blades for reciprocation comprising vertical fixed supports spacedfrom each other, a slotted member slidably carried by each verticalsupport, means connected with said slidably mounted slotted members toreciprocate the same vertically, a substantially flat rectangular framehaving its side edges engaged in the slots of said slidably mountedmembers, and means to connect the opposite ends of the blades with theupper and lower portions of the fiat rectangular frame.

1'7. In a slicing machine, a plurality of cutting blades, means mountingthe blades for reciprocation comprising, vertical fixed supports spacedfrom each other, a slotted member slidably carried by each verticalsupport, means connecting said slidably mounted members, means connectedwith the structure formed by the slidably mounted slotted members andtheir connection to reciprocate the same vertically, a substantiallyflat rectangular'frame having its side edges engaged in the slots ofsaid slidably mounted members, and means to connect the opposite ends ofthe blades with the upper and lower members of the flat rectangularframe.

18. In a slicing machine, two sets of reciprocable blades, means tomount the blades with those of one set alternately positioned betweenthose of the other set and with substantially equal spaces between theblades and with all their cutting edges facing one way comprising, areciprocable frame for each set of blades, said reciprocable frames eachincluding connected side members having guideways facing each other, arectangular blade carrying frame slidably engaged in the guideways ofeach reciprocable frame, means to readily detachably hold each of therectangular frames in its respective reciprocable frame, blade supportsprojecting from upper and lower cross bars of the rectangular frames,and means connected with the reciprocable frames to simultaneously andoppositely reciprocate the sets of blades.

19. In a slicing machine, two sets of cutting blades arranged with theblades of one set interposed between the blades of the other set andwith the cutting edges of all of the blades facing one way, means tomount said sets of blades for simultaneous and opposite reciprocationand for bodily removal from the machine as complete units comprising,rigid side supports, a blade supporting frame for each set of bladeshaving top and bottom members connected by side rails, blade supportsprojecting from the top and bottom members of said frames and to whichthe ends of the individual blades are attached, said blade supportsbeing arranged so that those of one frame pass those of the other, andguide means to slidably connect the side rails of the blade supportingframes with said rigid side supports, said blade supporting frames beingslidably disengageable from the guide means to enable withdrawal ofeither blade supporting frame from the machine with all of the bladesthereon.

20. In a slicing machine, a pair of spaced side frame members havingupstanding portions, a pair of reciprocable blade frames, each havingspaced cutting blades disposed between those of the other, means carriedby said upstanding portions for guiding said blade frames duringreciprocation, said blade frames being interchangeable with each other,means for reciprocating each of said blade frames in a directionopposite to the other, and detachable means connecting said blade frameswith said reciprocating means, the space above said guiding means andblade frames being open and unobstructed wherebyupon disengagement ofsaid detachable means said blade frames may be bodily lifted frombetween said upstanding portions without disassembling the necting saidblade frames with said reciprocating means, the space above said guidingmeans and blade frames being open and unobstructed whereby upondisengagement of said detachable means said blade frames may be bodilylifted from between said side frame members without disassembling theremainder of said machine.

HENRY FRITZ, SR.

